'Categories' Drinking Game Instructions

Players: 5 - No limit

Play begins with a player, designated the caller, choosing a category. This category can be just about anything. Flavours of ice cream, hockey players from a specific team, names of constellations or colours of the rainbow. The player who names the category points to (and optionally says the name of) another player who must name an item that falls within the category. If they do name something then they pick another player who must come up with another item from that category. When someone cannot name an item or repeats an item that has already been said they must take a drink. Once a player has failed to name a new item or repeats one that has been said they become the caller. They pick a new category, indicate another player and play continues.

If someone suggests a category that has already been used (provided they didn't just join the game and thus don't know) they must finish their drink.

The game is best when played fairly quickly, 5 seconds or so should be enough time for someone to answer. General consensus determines whether or not someone has taken too long and thus they must drink. If someone's thinking for more than 10 seconds, that's way too long and they've got to drink.

The only other rule, and this one is optional, is no point backs. If John points at Mary, then she cannot point back at John. She must pick another player. The player Mary picks cannot pick her but may pick John since he wasn't the last person to have a turn.

Example of Play:
John is caller. John selects Types of Cloth as his category and points to A. A says Silk and points to B. B says Cotton and points to C. C who's been drinking a bit can't come up with anything else so takes a drink, thinks a bit and selects Famous Composers as the category and points to John. John says Mozart, points to B. B says Chopin and points to C. C comes up with Bethoven, points to A. A shrugs, takes a drink and picks a new category.

This game can be really quick and sometimes what your friends know will surprise you... just as much as what they don't know.

This game was submitted by one of our eerily charismatic readers, Blair!